and there is the devil
and no clear disguise or clearly discernible

this is his nature and this is his art
he burns books

and there is an iron pot
there are the handouts given away

there was the first mistake

the bong of a cauldron in a bookstore


eraser

it is to keep a white eraser clean
clean hands, clean heart, clean disposition

and thorns, brambles

against what? a black mechanical pencil with retractor
a compass, failing

a beig linen pencil case meant to take you out